Now
the crossbench peer is introducing a private members bill in the wake of the
Diane Pretty and Reginald Crew cases.

Mr
Crew - who suffered from motor neurone disease - had to fly to Switzerland
for an assisted death.

Mrs
Pretty fought a long, hard battle in the courts for the right to choose the
timing of her death but died naturally after her legal fight had failed.

'Pressing
need'

Lord
Joffe's Assisted Dying Bill - which has little chance of making it on to the
statute book - provides for a competent adult suffering from a terminal disease
or a serious, incurable physical illness to request medical assistance to
die.

They
would have to have two doctors - one a consultant - to confirm their diagnosis.

All
the alternatives to assisted suicide would have to be considered including
hospice and palliative care.

And
a patient would have to make a written statement declaring their wish to die.

That
statement would have to witnessed by a solicitor who was satisfied of the
patient's mental competence to understand their decision.